My first troop any advice

[Trooperman]

Hi ive got my first troop this weekend and i am wondering is there any advice any one can give me? eg what to take with me ...apart from my armour

[ThayNerd[TK]]

If you think something is going to break bring something to fix it. Here is some of the stuff I always bring: exacto knife, extra industrial strength Velcro, rivet gun, rivets, extra snaps, snap tool, plastic polish, hot glue gun, glue sticks, scissors, extra foam padding, touch up paint for everything, spare plastic, extra webbing, tin scissors, Leatherman, spare rag, extra under armor (I have gone to a troop and forgot this before). I can’t think of anything else at the moment.

[Laspector[TK]]

If there are kids there a handler is a must!!!!!! Kids will steal you blind, hit you and anything else they can do to upset you. If your thermal detonater is not permanetly attached to your belt--watch out--Kids always go for that first. Do not let a group of kids get behind you!!!!!!

 

Do not let anyone borrow your gun, you'll never see it again.

 

If there are small children there be careful of them getting too close because you can't see down low and you could step on a child and hurt them.

 

Don't let a kid take your helmet.

 

Not trying to scare you, I'm sure you will have a blast..Just mind your surroundings well.

[TK6237[501st]]

Make sure you drink enough water. If your mouth feels dry, take a break to drink and cool off. Start off slow. Take care of yourself and your fellow troopers.

 

Oh yeah, and bring a trooper´s first aid kit; if you haven´t trooped your armor before, you´re about to find out what you did right and wrong when you built it...Being out in the world, wearing your armor for hours at a stretch will be very different from walking around in your living room! In addition to some band aid and blister plasters (like Compeed), I´ve got extra batteries for the voice changer, super glue, anti-fog liquid, gaffer tape, a multi tool (like Leatherman), some extra velcro, some tissue paper (to clean lenses and wipe off sweat), a tin of Tip-Ex and a black marker (in case of paint peeling off)...I think that´s about it for me. If you´re a clean TK, wanting to stay that way, you might wanna bring a magic eraser, to remove scuff marks.

 

Try to team up with more experienced troopers, learn by example. Hang back and observe the others, until you feel you get the gist of it.

 

But most important of all: Have fun!

 

Best of luck trooper, may your first troop be a memorable one!

[carbonitekid]

First off, I hope you guys do not mind me quoting your text in my reply here.

 

Hi ive got my first troop this weekend and i am wondering is there any advice any one can give me? eg what to take with me ...apart from my armour

Yeah, bring cheddar if you do not want me to make you run around the base of the tower shouting " I love the Empire".

 

If there are kids there a handler is a must!!!!!! Kids will steal you blind, hit you and anything else they can do to upset you. If your thermal detonater is not permanetly attached to your belt--watch out--Kids always go for that first. Do not let a group of kids get behind you!!!!!!

 

Very good advice. This ios why the UKG NEVER troops without spotters/handlers.

 

 

Do not let anyone borrow your gun, you'll never see it again.

 

Its guaranteed they will be able to run faster than you can in your kit. Its also a no no as far as the UKG is concerned as its not what a "real" trooper would do. You wouldnt have a soldier/cop do the same would you.

 

If there are small children there be careful of them getting too close because you can't see down low and you could step on a child and hurt them.

 

Amen to that! However the spotter should keep you apraised if a collision looks likely.

 

 

Don't let a kid take your helmet.

 

More to the point, your UKG, therefore removal of your helmet at a troop is the ultimate offence. It ruins the illusion that you are a real Stormtrooper. When you are in front of the public you should endeavour to act as if you are a trooper straight off of the screen. If you can put on an American accent (especially if you have a voice amp) then it is advisable to do so when interacting with the public. if a kid asks you to blast them then depending on age either tell them Lord Vader will not let you blast em ( young kids) or " Its too much/they are not worth the paper work" (works especially well in the earshot of adults).

 

Not trying to scare you, I'm sure you will have a blast..Just mind your surroundings well.

 

Even with spotters be aware of "pavement furniture". Its best if you make a mental note of any potential hazards , like bollards etc, when you first arrive.

 

Make sure you drink enough water. If your mouth feels dry, take a break to drink and cool off.

 

yep, if you need to take a break for a drink etc , get a spotters attention and they will take you back to the changing room.

 

Oh yeah, and bring a trooper´s first aid kit; if you haven´t trooped your armor before, you´re about to find out what you did right and wrong when you built it...Being out in the world, wearing your armor for hours at a stretch will be very different from walking around in your living room! In addition to some band aid and blister plasters (like Compeed), I´ve got extra batteries for the voice changer, super glue, anti-fog liquid, gaffer tape, a multi tool (like Leatherman), some extra velcro, some tissue paper (to clean lenses and wipe off sweat), a tin of Tip-Ex and a black marker (in case of paint peeling off)...I think that´s about it for me. If you´re a clean TK, wanting to stay that way, you might wanna bring a magic eraser, to remove scuff marks.

 

Batteries for your amp and a basic first aid kit are always a good thing to have with you.

 

You will probably spot for the first part of the day just to see how we as a garrison operate. After that i will pair you up with an experienced trooper ( probably either Chris C or myself) and let you loose on the public.

 

I may even teach you the "art of the tart"

 

But most of all...........

 

Don't forget the cheddar.

[Nur0fen]

Great thread - I've just been cleared for with the UKG and I'm just sorting out my induction day so this advice has been invaluable

 

Good luck Kev - enjoy it mate!

 

I'm thinking....pack the cheddar

[carbonitekid]

Great thread - I've just been cleared for with the UKG and I'm just sorting out my induction day so this advice has been invaluable

 

Good luck Kev - enjoy it mate!

 

I'm thinking....pack the cheddar

 

 

 

Only bring cheddar to a troop I'm running mate. The rest of the heathens prefer the abysmal Jaffa cakes.

[mattastic13[TK]]

lol...I am so confused.....

 

 

But good info all around

[Nur0fen]

Only bring cheddar to a troop I'm running mate. The rest of the heathens prefer the abysmal Jaffa cakes.

 

Got it (packs kit bag with cheddar and jaffa cakes )

[Trooperman]

Wow..Thankyou for all the great advice this is going to be FANTASTIC and Matt... the cheddar is on the way mate

[Bigturc]

DRINK water, DRINK water, DRINK water!!

 

I learned the hard way! On my second event ...

 

.. 2nd of 2! Not much going on in Montreal

[Jello[501st]]

Extra batteries for your fans! I had a set go dead on me at an outdoor event (turns out that was my spare set. So it got really warm & foggy inside the bucket. Take some extra CA glue too. You never know when you'll need to make some on-the-fly repairs.

[TK8280]

If there are kids there a handler is a must!!!!!! Kids will steal you blind, hit you and anything else they can do to upset you. If your thermal detonater is not permanetly attached to your belt--watch out--Kids always go for that first. Do not let a group of kids get behind you!!!!!!

 

Do not let anyone borrow your gun, you'll never see it again.

 

If there are small children there be careful of them getting too close because you can't see down low and you could step on a child and hurt them.

 

Don't let a kid take your helmet.

 

Not trying to scare you, I'm sure you will have a blast..Just mind your surroundings well.

Yeah, try not to go anywhere there are kids, they are evil! Evil I tell you! :jawa:

[missingpieces[501st]]

drink water before hand, if your thirsty its already too late.

be professional.

have fun.

[foggy[TK]]

I'm still rather new at this. The water issue is like participating in sports in hot weather. I try to drink a lot of water the day before and early am of the event. Also make sure your boots are real comfortable because you are going to be on feet throughout. I take along a ton of batteries, elastic, velcro, scissors, and heavy duty tape.

 

Use common sense and be careful where and how you walk. Your mobility is a tad bit hampered.

 

Don't get upset if some part of your equipment decides to have a mind of its own. It goes on the "to be tinkered with" list you compile while trooping.

 

Beware of any young one with a lightsaber in hand. Kids like to hit you with them or try to stick them under your helmet. Most kids are well behaved, but there is usually at least one who is 'memorable'.

 

Don't forget ... have fun.

[Runnriottt]

If there are kids there a handler is a must!!!!!! Kids will steal you blind, hit you and anything else they can do to upset you. If your thermal detonater is not permanetly attached to your belt--watch out--Kids always go for that first. Do not let a group of kids get behind you!!!!!!

 

Do not let anyone borrow your gun, you'll never see it again.

 

If there are small children there be careful of them getting too close because you can't see down low and you could step on a child and hurt them.

 

Don't let a kid take your helmet.

 

Not trying to scare you, I'm sure you will have a blast..Just mind your surroundings well.

 

 

At my troops I have done on Base, this reared up. All my out in town troops, not once... Hmm...

 

Do be careful and having a handler or another member in Officer or street clothes to watch your back is a must.

[TK2233]

All great advice here buddy. Heed well, especially the bit about enjoying yourself.

 

I'll be there with you and you should be well looked after by all the troopers and spotters. It's a little daunting, first time out, but we all know that. But once you've done it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

 

Key points, from my point of view:

1) preparation is a must. Is your armour in good condition? Is everything secure? Fresh batteries? Spares? Got everything?

2) take your time kitting up. Never step out if something doesn't feel exactly right. That tiny rub or pinch will turn into sheer hell within 30 minutes and ruin your troop; worse, it'll stop you from concentrating on what you should be doing: entertaining the public.

3) be conservative with your movements while trooping. Step somewhere only when you know it's safe to do so. Is there a little rugrat beneath your line of vision? Is there a bollard waiting to catch you where it hurts most? Is there a step or curb you hadn't noticed? Don't swing your blaster around; move it slowly, otherwise, you'll catch a kid on the head with it.

4) if anything is wrong, don't just suffer, tell a spotter and get it sorted.

5) read your public. You can tell quite easily how far you can go with them, who's up for a bit of a laugh and who's not.

6) relax and enjoy yourself!

 

See you on Saturday morning

[Laspector[TK]]

I guess I just don't know UK slang--what is this "bollard" you guys keep speaking of?

[Daetrin[Admin]]

All great advice here buddy. Heed well, especially the bit about enjoying yourself.

 

I'll be there with you and you should be well looked after by all the troopers and spotters. It's a little daunting, first time out, but we all know that. But once you've done it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

 

Key points, from my point of view:

1) preparation is a must. Is your armour in good condition? Is everything secure? Fresh batteries? Spares? Got everything?

2) take your time kitting up. Never step out if something doesn't feel exactly right. That tiny rub or pinch will turn into sheer hell within 30 minutes and ruin your troop; worse, it'll stop you from concentrating on what you should be doing: entertaining the public.

3) be conservative with your movements while trooping. Step somewhere only when you know it's safe to do so. Is there a little rugrat beneath your line of vision? Is there a bollard waiting to catch you where it hurts most? Is there a step or curb you hadn't noticed? Don't swing your blaster around; move it slowly, otherwise, you'll catch a kid on the head with it.

4) if anything is wrong, don't just suffer, tell a spotter and get it sorted.

5) read your public. You can tell quite easily how far you can go with them, who's up for a bit of a laugh and who's not.

6) relax and enjoy yourself!

 

See you on Saturday morning

 

This is the perfect advice and I've not much more to add then just reinforcing what he said.

 

Relax and observe. As it's your first troop expectations of you will be low, and you'll have more fun if you can just be yourself. Take breaks when you need to.

 

And as he said - read the public and event. There are times when it's OK to be casual and make jokes. The are times when you have to play the part to the hilt. Every troop is different. Being at a small comic book store where there is a huge amount of 1:1 crowd interaction and it's very informal is far different than being at an LFL event where you really need to toe the line.

[Murray1134[501st]]

I guess I just don't know UK slang--what is this "bollard" you guys keep speaking of?

 

I'm just confused by the "cheddar". I guess our British brethern really love there cheese

[Laspector[TK]]

Yeah, the cheese part is over my head, too.

 

Here in the south we concentrate on crawdads, catfish and pork rinds.

[Trooperman]

Darrel wot are crawdads? a fish i take it

[ProfZoom]

Darrel wot are crawdads? a fish i take it

 

Crayfish. Small, freshwater, lobster looking thingies.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayfish

 

And I'm assuming a bollard is a post set in the ground, given the context.

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Interesting experiences many of you have had with kids, but I've had the opposite. I've never had any child attempt to walk away with a piece of my armor or attempt any aggressive behavior. Perhaps its because every time I've dealt with a child, the parent was never more than a few steps away. Further, many kids were so afraid of me that their parents had to literally drag them in my direction for a photo opportunity.

 

Teenagers, on the other hand, . . .

 

Since my primary weapon is my DLT-19 and I typically keep my E-11 holstered on troops, I've allowed them to pose with the E-11 for an "action photo" with a stormtrooper. Helps break the ice, and never had anyone try to walk away with it.

 

Definitely, a handler and an armor "field repair" kit are a must at every troop.

[kiyotei[TK]]

1. When you start to walk after being surrounded by children, shuffle your feet slowly forward. This will make sure you don't knock a kid over. Its real easy for the little ones to get near you feet where you cannot see them.

2. Be prepared for lens fogging. Use an anti fog solution on your lens before each troop.

3. I like to bring sports drinks to replenish my electrolites.

4. Bannanas make a good snack and replenish your potassium which you will sweat out.

5. High Five the little kids. It helps reduce their fear of you. Many little kids find troopers scary at first. We are the bad guys in the movies.

6. Never admit anything is fake. The Death Star does exist, etc. You have a fake blaster for safety reasons but your real blaster is back on the death star.

7. Learn to use hand gesture to communicate with kids cause it can be hard to understand a trooper when he talks. I like to use the "I've got my eye on you" gesture. Its where you point two fingers at your eyes and then point at the person letting them know that I do indeed see them and that I'm keeping an eye on them. Parents always find it really funny when you do that to their kids. I do this when I'm away from people to enable myself to interact with them.